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Red Foreskin

March 2 2006 at 12:43 PM

Mark (no login)

Hello, I'm 17 years old and I'm too embarressed to confront my parents with this. I don't know if I should really be worrying but I'll tell you.

A week ago I didn't bathe for 3 days, I washed a bit, but I couldn't get a shower or bath, due to the trip I was on, and the complications involved. Afterwards during a rough masturbation I noticed my foreskin was a bit red. I also think I cut a little off my Frenulum, and it hurt a little at the time but doesn't any longer and there doesn't seem to be a cut or anything.

Right now, my foreskin above my Frenulum to the tip of my penis is red, and very smooth. It seems to clear up, and then get red again. The red spot is about this big.

[_____]

Not really that big. It's smooth, and there seems to be a little swollen. Looks as if a vein has enlarged.

I can't recall this redness being there before. My foreskin retracts easy when i'm not erect, and when my penis is erect, its pretty tight, and I can retract it most of the ways. I don't know if this might be part of the problem.

There's no pain, no discomfort. Everything seems fine. Someone told me I might have Balanitis, but I don't think so. I mean, it doesn't look too serious, and my glans don't seem inflamed. The only reason I'm bringing this up is because It's been red for about 5 days now. I've taken two baths with a half a cup of salt, and I've been keeping the area dry. It seems to clear up, then the redness returns whenever I masturbate.

There could be several reasons

March 2 2006, 1:32 PM

Have you ever used soap to wash or to use as a lubricant? This is the primary cause of balanitis in the absence of the use of antibiotics. If you have used soap, stop it at once. Wash with just plain clear water.

If it's smooth it sounds like just an irritations that could have been caused by the roughness of your session. Laying off a few days would normally allow this to subside. If masturbation is the cause, and you have done that since the first appearance of the spot, you have probably kept the area irritated. Trust me, you can live without doing that for a few days, and your testicles will not turn blue.

If things don't get better having quitting the soap and laying off the habit, you may wish to consult a doctor about it. This is always a risk, for doctors often advise circumcision before they even figure out what the problem is. Most physicians in the world would disagree with that kind of practice, but that's the way it is in lots of places, and if you're in America, you could almost bet on it. Many who have undergone the procedure would never have allowed it if the truth had been told to them ahead of time. Proceed with caution.

Do you have a free health service at school that could offer an examination without violating your privacy?

Re: There could be several reasons

March 2 2006, 2:41 PM

I've been using plain water since it it happened.

Two days it completely died down until I masturbated, so I'm thinking it is a simple irritation. Maybe I'm not letting it heal properly. It seems whenever I masturbate it gets red again, but when I lay off for about 30 hours, it goes away. Also, the area is really smooth.

I'm really hoping it's a simple irritation, because I absolutley don't want to be circumsized. I'm too used to foreskin. Besides, the redness doesn't seem to affect me in any way, other than the fact it is there, so I hope I don't need to resort to circumcision.

Absolutely no need for circumcision

March 2 2006, 3:10 PM

Don't even let that thought enter your mind. In the absence of cancer, I can think of no reason why that procedure should ever take place. I think you've already found the answer to the problem, so just back off a few days and let it rest. From now on, take it easy man. BTW, it should be very smooth, like a baby's butt. Everything on the inside is actually the same tissue as inside your mouth, and it is meant to remain as inside parts.

Some day, when you lose some of that modesty, thank your parents for having the good sense to leave you intact.

Re: Absolutely no need for circumcision

A matter of proportion.

March 3 2006, 1:13 PM

First, let me point out that the only reason we mention circumcision here, is that if you were to go see a doctor, he (or she) might mention it, which would actually be an instant confession of incompetence in the area (which is not uncommon) - the "thing you say when you can't figure out anything to say". So we mention it as something you would need to guard against, if you were ever to see a doctor about anything in that area.

Clearly, you have a small area of injury and we are talking about getting it to heal - this might involve "resting" it from sexual activity (that includes masturbation) for up to a week, though I will suggest to you that within reason, this probably doesn't matter - it will most likely heal even if you don't "rest" it, and almost as quickly as if you did.

A circumcision on the other hand, is a very major injury to the penis, would force you to "rest" it for a much longer period, and as you have apparently realised, would severely and permanently damage the utility of your penis. What is particularly ironic but seems to often be overlooked in such discussions, is that the very fact that the penis can recover from such an injury, proves that it must recover from any lesser injury - but people frequently fail to see that!

We - I - mention this because it is frustrating that circumcision is even suggested in respect of foreskin problems. Some people rationalise that a circumcision is "acceptable" to prevent repeated irritations (on the argument that if you cut the part totally off, it cannot get irritations!), but the fact is that all such things have causes, and you actually need to address the cause.

Speaking of causes, I am going to get back to the matter that two things would appear in your case, the possibility that you got a bit enthusiastic with the soap (this is the most common cause of all foreskin problems, and since water in a bath all gets soapy, this is probably a very inappropriate place to wash under a foreskin) on your return from the trip, and that you were a bit enthusiastic with the masturbation and did indeed, cause a small tear in (front of) your fraenulum, which is subject to excess pressure.

Now - my suggestion as to treatment.

I perceive that problems in this area, are much the same as babies have from the wearing of nappies ("diapers"). An excellent treatment for such problems, is simple Zinc and Castor Oil cream, and if you want to try something cheap and easily available, just get some of that from the pharmacy (drugstore) or supermarket; dab a little on. It is pretty compatible with masturbation, too! Doesn't matter if it gets in the "wrong" place - just wash (or better - simply wipe) it off.

Re: A matter of proportion.

March 10 2006, 11:10 AM

Hey, just checking back. You guys were helpful and it seems to be clearing up.

I went three days without masturbation and it completely went away. After masturbating again, it got a little red, but not half as bad as before, so yeah, I'm assuming more time will heal it up completely.

I have a new problem, though. For the past week since I've noticed this redness, I've been drying my foreskin very well, to the point where it isn't wet, or moist anywhere. Also, lately I've been noticing smegma, and a little smell. Could keeping it dry be causing this, and should I stop drying it, and just urinate, and leave it alone? It's an annoying smell.

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